Targets: by 2020
Sustainable delivery systems will be in place to ensure that effective cancer control programmes are available in all countries
The measurement of the global cancer burden and the impact of cancer control interventions will have improved significantly
Global tobacco consumption, obesity and alcohol intake levels will have fallen significantly
Populations in the areas affected by HPV and HBV will be covered by universal vaccination programmes Public attitudes towards cancer will improve and damaging myths and misconceptions about the disease will be dispelled
Many more cancers will be diagnosed when still localized through the provision of screening and early detection programmes and high levels of public and professional awareness about important cancer warning signs
Access to accurate cancer diagnosis, appropriate cancer treatments, supportive care, rehabilitation services and palliative care will have improved for all patients worldwide
Effective pain control measures will be available universally to all cancer patients in pain
The number of training opportunities available for health professionals in different aspects of cancer control will have improved significantly
Emigration of health workers with specialist training in cancer control will have reduced dramatically
There will be major improvements in cancer survival rates in all countries
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Priority actions
These targets are ambitious. During the past few years, however, there is growing evidence that concerted action can make a difference in a short time. We believe, therefore, that the targets can be achieved provided a number of priority actions are implemented:
Health policy
Place cancer on the development agenda. Increase the political priority given to cancer by demonstrating that a country’s investment in dealing with its growing cancer problem is an investment in the economic and social well-being of the country. Organizations concerned with cancer control should work with the global donor community, development agencies, the private sector and all civil society to invest in cancer control
Mobilize stakeholders to ensure that strategies to control cancer globally are targeted at those who are most in need.
Involve all major stakeholder groups in the development, or updating, of national cancer control policies
Implement strategies that have been proven to bridge existing cancer surveillance gaps
Increase efforts to involve cancer patients in cancer control planning at a local and national level
Cancer prevention and early detection
Increase efforts to reduce tobacco consumption by encouraging governments to fully implement and enforce the FCTC
Raise awareness about the need for culturally sensitive cancer risk reduction campaigns, along with public and professional education about cancer warning signs. Push governments to implement policies that will support risk-reducing strategies at a community level and enable individuals to make more informed consumption choices and adopt healthier behaviour Encourage governments to implement measures to reduce people’s exposure to environmental and occupational carcinogens
Undertake actions to ensure that vaccines and other strategies that are shown to prevent cancer-causing infections are made more widely available
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A call to action from the global cancer community
We the global cancer community call on governments, international governmental organizations, the international donor community, development agencies, professional organizations, the private sector and all civil society to take immediate steps to slow and ultimately reverse the growth in deaths from cancer, by committing to the targets set out below and providing resources and political backing for the priority actions needed to achieve them.
The World Cancer Declaration 2008 was developed by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), adopted by the World Cancer Summit 2008, and endorsed by the World Cancer Congress 2008.
World Cancer Declaration
2008
Background
The World Cancer Declaration 2008 is a tool to help cancer advocates bring the growing cancer crisis to the attention of health policymakers at national, regional and global levels. It represents a consensus between foundations, national and international non-governmental and governmental organizations, professional bodies, the private sector, academia and civil society from all continents that are committed to the vision of eliminating cancer as a major threat for future generations.
The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is the leading non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to global cancer control.
The UICC encourages partnership within the framework of the World Cancer Declaration: By working together, we can more easily implement the priority actions and achieve the 2020 targets.
© UICC 2008. All rights reserved. We welcome requests for permission to reprint or translate the World Cancer Declaration for non-commercial use. These should be addressed to the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), 62 route de Frontenex, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland, or [email protected].
All reasonable precautions have been taken by the UICC to verify the information contained in the World Cancer Declaration. However, the declaration is distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.
Responsibility for the interpretation and use of the declaration lies with the reader. In no event shall the UICC be liable for damages arising from its use.
For more information:
www.uicc.org/wcd
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Advocate for the provision of affordable screening programmes for which there isevidence of efficacy in the population in question. Undertake pilot projects that are designed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy in populations in which the screening technology has not yet been tested
Cancer treatment
Promote the development and use of cancer treatment guidelines that are relevantto local needs and resources. Ensure that
sufficient treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care facilities and well-trained staff are available to meet the physical, social and emotional needs of patients with cancer
Take steps to tackle the many barriers to optimal pain control. Work with governments to address the over-regulation of pain medicines.
Cooperate with international organizations, including the International Narcotics Control Board and the World Health Organization, to ensure that global implementation of the UN’s international drug control conventions do not unduly interfere with legitimate efforts to advance access to pain medicines for cancer patients in pain
Work with the pharmaceutical industry to increase access to cancer medicines that are affordable and of assured quality Increase the number of health professionals with expertise in all aspects of cancer control by providing specialist training opportunities and fellowships to enable professionals to study in specialist settings
Raise awareness about the impact of health worker emigration on the ability ofcountries to provide adequate levels of cancer care and work collectively to address global and national health workforce shortages and the resultant deepening of inequity Increase investment in independent basic and applied cancer research and acceleratethe translation of research findings into clinical and public health practice
Encourage cancer research organizations in different countries to collaborate, sharedata and define complementary research objectives to optimize the use of the limited funds available for cancer research and reduce duplication of effort
Progressing towards the 2020 targets
Through its member organizations, now more than 300 in over 100 countries, the International Union against Cancer (UICC) will promote partnerships and international collaboration aimed at accelerating progress towards achieving the 2020 targets
Given the huge variability in cancer burden and service provision throughout the world, the UICC will encourage members to use the World Cancer Declaration as a template to develop regional or national cancer declarations that can better reflect local needs and priorities and allow for more accurate quantification of targets where data exists The UICC will take responsibility for preparing a report every two years on the progress made towards achieving the 2020 targets. These reports will be presented at the biennial
World Cancer Congress
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